Self harming is the method a lot of people use to mutilate their bodies and cut themselves or burn part of their bodies as a way of inflicting pain on themselves. Individuals often resort to such measures to avoid dealing with a few suppressed feelings. Not expressing their feelings and having all their emotions bottled up is a dangerous thing to do which will have deep scarring effects on that person’s mental health. Few people are of the opinion that a person who harms himself might do it as an attempt to gain attention. However, that might not be the truth.

How to recognize if a person is self harming himself?

Self harmer often cuts himself using knife or sharp objects and carves out marks or wordings on their bodies. They might also use lighters or hot objects to inflict pain on their body. Some cases of self harming also include hitting of one’s head to the wall repeatedly to cause pain. The results of these are sometimes permanent. The self harmer might show off the scars as something they are proud of when they are too deep in the addiction. Others might be ashamed of these marks and might hide it from friends and family to avoid being questioned about the same.

Who are the people who suffer from self harm?

People who have low self esteem and have a traumatic past are more likely to self harm themselves. This is an addiction just like drug or alcohol addiction. A person who suffers from self harming also has a very compulsive and obsessive behaviour. This addiction is often accompanied with other conditions like severe drug addiction and eating disorders.

There are different types of self harming. It can either be minor which can be treated easily if found earlier or can also be extreme. In case of the latter, the person goes to great lengths to hurt themselves. This will become an incurable disease if not treated properly at the right time.

Treatment methods

As previously mentioned, the self harming might stem from trapped emotions. One of the best ways to start the process of treatment of this addiction is letting the person open up about their feelings. This can be done using regular sessions of therapy and other procedures. Once a person has come out in the open and has resolved all the conflicting emotions there will be no reasons left for the person to harm himself. There are many centres that specialise in treating these addictions effectively. But the person should first be instilled with enough faith in them self and should be taught to deal with all their suppressed emotions. It is only after this is done that a person can begin their healing process properly.

Moral support

Dealing with a person who self harms is not an easy thing. But the moral support that the friends and family show will play an important role in the recovery process. Knowing there are people who care will help a great deal might even speed up the recovery process.

About The Author

I have been practicing alternative medicine for the past 7 years in and out of India.Coming from a traditional family from Kerala, Gods own country.My fore fathers where into traditional Ayurveda practice over 7 generations.read more